Gone
by Astorybyme
Summary: "Your not going!" Ren orders. "Why not?" Jade pouts, "Elise, went! You and Alex get to go!" "I just don't think it's safe for you," Ren mumbles a lie. He knew what would happen if all three of them went to camp. Elise already told him. They would have to take on the prophecy, where the one most burdened would die.
1. Prologue

**4 Years Ago**

"What's your name?" The black haired boy wondered, lisping his s. He was missing his two front teeth. After all, he was only eight.

A look of thought washed over the girl's face. She looked down at her bracelet as if reading something, and finally said, "Jade Hollow. Who are you?"

"Jacob Hunt," the little boy replied, reaching out to shake the girl's hand. As she took his hand, he noticed her long black hair moving in the wind from the cool fall breeze. The way her jade green eyes that she was named for twinkled as if she knew nothing. Little did the boy know, the little girl truly did know nothing.

"Wanna go get a lollipop?" Jacob asked, wanting to befriend the beautiful six-year-old girl.

"Sure!" Jade answered, plastering a toothy grin on her face, standing up from her spot on the park bench, completely forgetting her sister's instructions to stay put. The two kids raced to where Jacob's mother was on a picnic blanket under a large oak tree. She was a beautiful woman, with the same sapphire blue eyes as her son. But while Jacob had jet-black hair, his mother had dirty blonde. She looked so young. Most people that saw her with her son usually thought, "teen mom." And they weren't wrong. She was 18 when she had Jacob.

"Mommy, can me and Jade have a lollipop, please?" Jacob asked, putting on an adorable smile.

His mom could tell Jacob meant the girl standing to his right, so she handed Jacob two chocolate tootsie-pops, smiling.

"Here you go!" Jacob said, handing the lollipop to Jade. All of a sudden a confused look appeared on Jade's face.

"HELP! HELP!" She screamed out, "A STRANGER IS TRYING TO GIVE ME CANDY!" Jade kept screaming, tears streamed down her face, "HELP!"

Jacob's mom quickly got up and rushed over to calm down the little girl, while Jacob just stood there confused, and many people giving them awkward glances. He had just introduced himself minutes ago...and now she's acting like he's trying to kidnap her! He just didn't get it.

A woman with red hair then appeared, running up to Jade.

"Shh Shh, it's okay baby. Sissy's here now," the redhead said, embracing Jade in a hug, stroking her hair. Jade cried into her shoulder, and Jacob still just stood there.

When the little girl finally calmed down, and people started to move on with their lives, the redhead stood up, grabbing Jade's hand.

"I'm so sorry about that! It's just, Jade here has S.T.M.L-"

"S.T.M.L?" Jacob's mother asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Short term memory loss. I'm Elise by the way, Jade's sister." The redhead said, sticking her hand out to shake the mom's hand.

"I'm Rebecca, and this is my son Jacob." Rebecca replied nervously, giving Elise's hand a shake, studying her. She looked nothing like her sister. Jade had jet-black hair like Jacob, jade green eyes, tan skin, while her sister had fair skin, red hair, and grey blue eyes.

"Who are these people?" Jade asked nervously.

"This is Ms. Rebecca and Jacob, they are friends," Elise said, gesturing to the two as she said their names. Rebecca wasn't sure why Elise called her a friend, but she could only assume it was to ease Jade's mind.

"Why don't you go play with Jacob?" Elise suggested.

"Okay! Tag! You're it!" Jade screeched excitingly, whacking Jacob in the arm and running off. Jacob followed Jade; interested in the young girl he had just met. She completely forgot the fact that she just had a mental breakdown due to the fact she thought Jacob was trying to kidnap her.

"So she's your little sister?" Rebecca asked, turning to Elise.

"Yep. And I also have two half brothers, Ren and Alex. The three of them are triplets, we share our father's blood." Elise replied, sharing a short story.

"Why aren't they here?" Rebecca questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Ren is removing mistletoe from the trees with my dad. Alex is probably playing video games. Jade enjoys the gardening stuff... but once she was climbing a tree to get out some mistletoe, and she forgot what she was doing and fell out of the tree." The redhead sighed, watching her little sister play with with Jacob. She seemed so carefree; unlike Elise's self. Elise was burdened with the task of mother after her own mother left, and then the triplet's mother. The only time she got a break was over the summer when she went to camp, but after she leaves in a week to go, it will be her last time there. She'll be too old; after all, Elise IS 20.

The day went by; the midday sun that was there when the four had arrived at Central Park was now down in the west, shining little light onto New York City (not that it needed it). Jade only forgot what she was doing a few times until it was time to go.

"Time to go Jacob!" Rebecca called out to her son that was up in a tree.

"Coming!" He called back down, wiping his black hair out of his face.

"Time for us to go to Jade!" Elise yelled out to her sister at the base of the tree Jacob's in.

"But I don't wanna go!" Jade complained, "I wanna play with Jacob!"

"How about we see you guys next week?" Rebecca suggested as she folded up her blanket. "Will that work for you?" Rebecca asked, turning to Elise.

"Same time? Same place?" Elise confirmed. Rebecca nodded, taking her son's hand as he jogged over to her.

"See you soon Jacob!" Jade called out to the older boy, starting to walk towards home with Elise, the opposite direction Jacob was going.

"Wait!" Jacob yelled, removing his hand from his mother's grasp and running back to Jade.

"What?" She asked, turning around to face the boy. He then planted a quick kiss on her lips and placed something in her hand, then returning to his mother.

And that, my friend, is how they met.

**_Okay, so, cliche ending, but it gets the main idea across? Idk...ANYWAYS... review, follow...idk. Do what you do!_**

**_And sorry about the crappy character development in this chapter... I'll try to work on it. It's the first chapter, do I'm working on it! Don't worry!_**


	2. Chapter 1: Maybe

"I'll see you a week before school starts back up. I promise."

Those were the words Jacob Hunt said right before he drove away a few days after he turned 12. It was the beginning of June. Just like Jade had found a way to remember her sister, Elise, her brothers, Alex and Ren, and her dad, Marc, she found a way to remember her best friend, Jacob. It was probably the image of seeing him everyday that kept him fresh in her mind. It also could've been the undeniable love Jade had for Jacob, keeping him always on her mind. She just couldn't seem to forget him. But Jacob went away for the summer, where she wasn't able to see him. He left his small town New Jersey home, to spend the summer at some camp in Long Island for "special" kids. He never told Jade what special meant though. It was his secret.

"I'll be back."

That was his promise. His only promise. Yet he broke it. When Jade started her 5th grade year, Jacob his 7th, he was no where to he found. His mother was reported to have killed herself over Labor Day Weekend.

That made both Jade and Jacob motherless. Jade's mother left her and her brother's on her dad's doorstep when they were three days old, leaving without a trace. Jade's siblings never talked about their mother, even though they obviously had questions. Sometimes her father would bring her up, but Elise would scold him and the subject was quickly dropped.

"I promise."

That was what Jacob Hunt said. When Jacob didn't come back, his face slowly started to leave Jade's memory until it was gone all together. By the next summer, Jacob Hunt was just a name she could never put with a face. Jade even forgot that she gave him her bracelet; a very special one that is. The chain was made of a leaf green, one of a kind fabric. Along the fabric a golden plate had been beaded onto it. Engraved into the gold plating had been Jade's name, birthday, and an intricate leaf design around the edge. It had been given to Jade by her mother. It was the only thing Jade had of hers. Jade had expected to get it back when summer ended, but he never came back.

He lied. Though Jade had forgotten, Elise, Ren, Alex, and Marc were sure her sister would never see her love again.

* * *

**JADE'S POV**

"Psst," the brunette boy"whispers" to me, attempting to get my attention, "Psst!"

"What now Chris?" I mumble to the brown haired boy, putting my books into my backpack. It was the last day of school, meaning when the next school year came around, I wouldn't remember anyone that I didn't consistently see over the summer. I even forgot names of my classmates over the weekend!

"Well, I was wondering...well actually I've been wondering for a while, with us having 6 classes together and knowing each other pretty well-" Chris rambles on before I cut him off.

"Just spit it out," I moan.

He chuckles to himself at the usage of the inside joke we've had going all year, his hazel eyes averting to the floor. I don't remember exactly how the joke began, but I've had Chris tell me the story so many times I can remember bits and pieces of how. It had been the first day of school and we were introducing ourselves. I couldn't remember my last name, and just stood there thinking, until he yelled out, "Just spit it out!" Some how, I still remember those four words. And now, here we are on the last day of school of 6th grade.

"Will you go out with me?" Chris asks, almost too fast too fast for me to understand. The question caught me off guard. A guy...wanting to go out with me? Ha. And I always thought of us as friends...did Chris want to be more?

"Are you serious?" I question in disbelief. Chris was the most popular guy in the 6th grade...and half the time I couldn't remember my own name! Chris just nods, a kind smile creeping onto his face. Tears start to form at the corner of my eyes, and Chris immediately panics.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have asked. I'm so stupid to think you like me too! God, I'm so sor-" I interrupt Chris's rambling by planting a soft kiss on his blood drained face.

"Yes," is all I say before skipping off to find Rosemary to walk me home.

* * *

**ALEX'S POV**

Nothing. Silence. Empty. Those are the words that describe what I hear.

Crazy. Jumbled. Messed up. That's how I would describe my ability to read.

Since day one of my life, I have been deaf and severely dyslexic, and Chris Barker made sure I didn't forget it. I can never hear his taunts, but I can read his lips and feel him shoving me into lockers. Yet he is best friends with my sister...

"Hey, wassup?" Jared signs in American Sign Language to me, noticing my quietness. Jared is what most people would call a jokester. His curly brown hair framed his face so well, his blue eyes read trouble. Jared transferred to my small school at the beginning of the year to be my translator. It was some program his school on Long Island was trying.

"Not much," I signed back, refusing to tell him what was really going on in my mind. Though all the guys picked on me for being deaf, I was still what some girls would call "cute." Another one asked me out today. I'm pretty sure her name was Charlotte. I kindly rejected her, even though she was definitely a looker. The problem was, I wasn't attracted to her in any way; or any girl, for that matter. But I do have a crush on someone...

"Something's got to be bugging you," Jared continues, being surprisingly persistent. He has really bad ADHD, just like myself, so our conversations usually skip from one thing to another pretty quickly.

"The same stuff; I don't know how to talk, I'm deaf, dyslexic, ADHD," and gay, I thought.

"It gets easier," Jared assures me, chuckling. How did he know that? Jared wasn't deaf! HE didn't get bullied! Sometimes I wish I could just run away from this small town.

Then the end of the day commotion begins, signaling the bell has rung. Since today is the last day of school, the movement is twice as bad.

"Wanna have some fun?" Jared signs, changing the subject (there's the Jared I know!)

"I guess," I shrug, signing back.

Two hours later we are hiding behind a car, laughing our heads off (yes, deaf people can laugh, it's instinct). We had just completed our tradition, combining our two hobbies together. I have always had a thing for gardening, and Jared likes pulling pranks, so on the first of the month, we combine the two to pull off a prank. This time, we bought a bag of soil and a packet of ryegrass seeds. Our principle, Principle Dearmond, left yesterday for her summer vacation and won't be back for 4 weeks (don't ask how I know). We spread the soil on her roof, and then sprinkled the seeds in it in a design that spells out "aliens" (our principal has a HUGE fear of aliens). If all goes well, she'll have grass all along her roof in a few days.

"In a week, this will be the best prank ever!" I sign, continuing to laugh.

"Yep!" Jared signs, then mutter something under his breath. I'm no expert in reading lips, but I could swear he said "too bad there won't be a next week." What does he mean by that? I decide to just push the thought aside.

"Hey, I got to go home." I sign, waving, and the running home.

* * *

**JADE'S POV**

"So what happened?" Rosemary asks in disbelief, walking with her usual limp. I told her about my encounter with Chris no more than 30 seconds after it happened to make sure she wouldn't let me forget. I tell her the story once more, not only because she wanted to hear it, but to keep it fresh in my mind. I wish I had caught that moment on tape so I could remember it forever.

"And you said yes?" Rosemary asks for the 30th time. I nod, causing her to squeal yet again. Then she starts to mumble something about "not being alone at camp." Whatever that means...

"So what are your summer plans?" I ask, trying to keep conversation going.

"You'll see," she giggles to herself, flattening her long sweat pants against her skin. Why she's wearing sweatpants at the beginning of summer? I'll never know...

I walk in silence until I start to hear someone following me. I debate whether I should just keep walking, or see who it is. I go with option two. Quickly glancing backwards, I see Rosemary on my heels.

"Are you following me?!" I yell, shocked to see her here.

"No Jade, I walk you home everyday, remember?" Rosemary assures me, putting her hands up in a surrendering motion. Then I hear an unforgettably loud roar.

* * *

**REN'S POV**

The loud roar echoes through the streets all the way to my house. While Alex sits unphased, I can hear it clear as day. My thoughts immediately go to Jade and the dream I had last night.

Jade was cornered in an alley along side Rosemary, who had been paralyzed from fear. Cornering them was a hideous beast, at least 13 feet tall, with only one eye; I guess you could call it a cyclops. In his hand was a giant club. Jade looked on the verge of tears, and I felt like I would cry myself, not being there to help her. I've always been protective of Jade. The tears started to fall down her face as she brought her arms up. With the flick of her wrists, vines started to wrap around the beast's legs, eventually bringing him to the ground, him yelling out in pain.

This morning when I woke up, I couldn't make sense of the dream. I tried, but my thoughts kept wondering back to Jacob. Just like how Jade had done something strange in the dream, Jacob always did strange things when he was around. Sometimes when he was in a good mood, I swore his feet weren't on the ground. Another time, when I was 8, Alex, Jacob, Jade, and I were playing out in the rain. Lightning flashed, striking Jacob with a blinding light. I swore he was dead, but he looked perfectly fine, if not better than before. He was just a strange boy.

A load roar yet again rings through my ears. One of similar sound to when Jade took down the beast in my dream. And though it was just a dream, something in my mind seemed to click.

"Alex!" I yelled, knowing very well he couldn't hear me. I go over and shake his shoulders hard, disturbing him from his video game. Alex gives me a questioning look. I've known sign language forever, so the signs come easy to me as I show them to Alex.

"I think Jade's in trouble."

* * *

_**MWAHAHA! Tensions rising. Any guesses on who is Jades mummy? Or Jacobs father? I probably made it really obviouse...oh well!**_

_**Any ideas? Anything y'all wanna see? Tell me! I'm open to ideas! Like, I have a story line, but not any little ideas...**_

_**ANYWHO...vote, comment, tell ppl about le story please!**_


	3. Chapter 2: That's Not Fair!

**JADE'S POV**

"What was that?!" I ask Rosemary, panicking. She seems just as freaked out, if not more.

"Crap, I thought we would have more time," Rosemary mumbles. "Follow me."

She starts to run, but it looks more like a gallop. I run right at her heels, making sure I hit every twist and turn Rosemary makes. Whatever made that roar...it definitely wasn't human.

Then it sounds again, "Mmmm, I smell a couple of halfbloods!"

We take a turn into an empty alley, but get stopped by a brick wall. I'm out of breath, and on the verge of tears. I'm freaking out, and I can't remember why. I look around and see we are in an alley...why are we in an alley?

"Rosemary, why are we here? What are we doing?" I ask, my voice cracking.

"Just stay quiet." She whispers, holding her finger up to her mouth. I look down the entrance of the alley, and then into view comes a giant figure. It had to be at least 13 feet tall. I look to Rosemary, but she is paralyzed with fear. Behind the monster I see pedestrians walking by as if nothing is wrong. Are they blind or something!? Then I see Alex and Ren turn the corner.

* * *

**REN'S POV**

"I think Jade's in trouble."

That sign left my hands so quickly I'm surprised Alex understood it. We both made a run for the door, telling our dad we were going out (or I told him). I dashed through our neighborhood, making my way to town, Alex hot on my heels. I pause, causing Alex to run right into me.

Then I hear another roar, this time some words added into the mix. "Mmmm, I smell a couple of halfbloods!" What the heck are halfbloods? Before I could ponder the thought too much, I started moving again toward the sound, weaving through the occasional people along the sidewalk. I take one last turn into an alley where I see a giant man. At the end of the alley is of course, Jade and Rosemary.

Then it's like déjà vu; seeing Jade cornered freaking out, Rosemary paralyzed with fear.

"JADE!" I scream, hoping to get her attention, thinking I could help her get back into the open. With just my luck, I fail, instead getting the attention of the giant Cyclops. With one swing of his club he sends Alex and me flying into the brick wall, a pile of cardboard boxes to breaking our fall. I move the boxes to see, but my vision is left all fuzzy. I try to stand, but I fall right back down. "Jade!" I try to yell, but my voice is quieted by another deafening roar of the giant.

Tears start to stream down Jade's face, as her eyes turn black. It's exactly like my dream; she raises her hands and with a flick of her wrists, vines come out of the ground and start to crawl up the beast's legs. The vines wrap around his legs and torso, pulling him towards the ground, bringing him down with a loud thud and curses from the giant. For a final touch, Jade brings her hands together, causing the vines to constrict, turning the Cyclops into dust, and Jade falling to the ground.

* * *

**ROSEMARY'S POV**

"Jade," I whisper into her ear. "Wakey wakey!"

"Uuuugghmmmm," she moans, rolling over in her bed. After she the monster was taken down and she passed out, Ren and Alex carried Jade home, finally getting the suspicious looks we had been looking for. On the way home Ren kept asking for answers; "What was that?" "How did Jade do that?" "Are we safe?"

Following orders, I couldn't answer any of those questions unless Elise was around, so here the 4 of us are now, waiting in Jade's room for Elise to get home. Their dad is nowhere to be found.

Alex makes some signs with his hands, and Ren translates, "How long until Jade wakes up?" I just shrug, not knowing any better than he would. I protect, not heal. Even if I fail at my protecting. Then the doorbell rings, and Alex and Ren race downstairs to get. I immediately hear Jared's voice racing with questions, each question getting louder until he reaches Jade's room, with Alex and Ren on his heels.

"Is she okay?" Is the first question he says that I can understand. He says it so calmly it doesn't even sound like the Jared I know.

"She will be." I nod, taken aback by his new personality. Jared was one you could look to lighten the mood; he was always cracking jokes. Him not being able to come up with one, and actually caring about someone is new and just unexplainable.

Jared takes a seat on the end of Jade's bed, looking over her. Physically, she looked just fine; no cuts, scrapes, or bruises. I can't say the same or Ren or Alex though. Standing in the doorway are the boys. Ren's head is wrapped up from a gash in the back if his head, and Alex's elbow is bandaged up from his assortment of scrapes and cuts. The sound of the front door opening interrupts me from my thoughts.

"Jade? Ren? Anybody home?" Elise calls out. I can hear her set down her bag and keys on the table.

"We are up in Jade's room!" Ren calls out, shifting uncomfortably. Elise, even though only their half sister has always been very protective of the triplets. Doting over them whenever they come into harms way.

As Elise makes her way up the stairs, she begins talking, "So I was thinking that tonight, for dinner maybe we order in some pizza. Dad is off at work with some plant crises-" she stops as she sees Ren's head and Alex's arm. "What happened to you guys!? And her!?" Elise yells, pointing at Jade, the pitch of her voice rising. Ren shrugs nervously, and Alex refuses to look at Elise so he can't see what she's saying. I guess I have to explain.

"Elise...it's time."

"It's too early..." Elise mutters, almost too quiet for anyone to hear. Tears form in the corners of her eyes. I didn't realize how hard this would be...knowing what the two of us know...and Jared.

"Should we tell them?" Jared asks, his cocky attitude coming back.

"Tell us what?" Ren asks, confused, as Jade starts to stir.

"What happened?" Jade asks, rubbing her head. "I don't remember walking home...and this time I'm for sure I didn't."

"You took down a Cyclops." I say bluntly. It's best we just tell them all we can.

"But those aren't real." Jade laughs, smiling at the ridiculousness from my words.

"But they are," Elise begins, "And so are other monsters, and the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece. My mother is Athena, Jared's dad is Hermes, and your guys' mom is another goddess."

As Elise says this Jared is signing to Alex to make sure he is following along. Jade has a shocked look on her face, and Ren is shaking is head in disbelief.

"So what you're saying is my mom is a goddess? What's next? Are you going to tell me you're a monster?" Ren laughs, pointing at me.

"If you consider a satyr a monster, then sure!" I smile, lifting up the bottom of my sweat pants, revealing my furry legs.

"Well not that this revelation moment hasn't been fun or anything..." Jared cuts in, "but I think they should probably start packing for camp."

"Camp?" Ren and Jade say in unison.

"Yep, how about you guys go get something to eat first, we will explain later!" Jared says cheerfully, leading the way downstairs.

"Ren...can I talk to you?" Elise says before Ren leaves the room.

"Sure!" He smiles, closing the door behind me as I leave.

* * *

**REN'S POV**

"You expect me to believe this?" I say, not wanting to believe what I just heard.

"It's true Ren. I'm so sorry. If you want her to have more time, you can leave her here with me this summer if you want." Elise tells me softly. She knows I can't handle the news she just told me; I'm only 12 after all. "But only if you are sure it's her."

"She can't even remember her own name half the time. I'm always having to look out for her to make sure she is okay, I'm 100% sure it's her." I conclude. "I guess we should just tell her now she's not going before she gets too excited."

"You're right." Elise says, standing up, pulling her long red hair back into a ponytail. She opens the door and makes her way downstairs, with me on her heels.

"Jade," Elise clears her throat, "You can't go to camp with the boys this year."

It was at that moment I swear everybody stopped breathing and our hearts stopped beating.

* * *

**ROSEMARY'S POV**

"What?" Jade sounds so heart broken it makes me want to cry, "But that's not fair! Ren and Alex get to go!"

"You're not going!" Ren orders.

"Why not?" Jade pouts, "Jared says Elise went! You and Alex get to go!"

"I just don't think it's safe for you," Ren mumbles. I can immediately tell he knows the secret. He knows what would happen if all three of them went to camp. Elise just told him. The triplets would have to take on the prophecy, where the one most burdened would die.


End file.
